The Montana State football team made it two straight over arch-rival Montana last November and, with a star quarterback and many other key players returning for coach Jeff Choate, blue skies reigned all winter and spring for Bobcat fans.

Montana team made a dramatic hire by bringing back proven winner Bobby Hauck as head coach and, with a freshman phenom at quarterback and many other key players returning, high hopes were the norm all winter and spring for Grizzly fans.

Monday’s preseason Big Sky Conference football polls don’t jive with that optimism. In fact, the Cats and Griz have collectively rarely been ranked this low in what is certainly one of the toughest football leagues in FCS football.

The preseason polls – Coaches and Media - were released Monday at the Big Sky Kickoff function in Spokane, Wash., and Eastern Washington is the consensus league favorite. In the Coaches poll, the Grizzlies are picked seventh in the 13-team Big Sky. The Bobcats are eighth.

Ouch.

Undoubtedly you’re also aware that last week Montana State announced star quarterback Chris Murray, a two-year starter who was among the Big Sky rushing leaders in 2017, will not be with the team this fall for academic reasons.

And you probably know that Montana announced a while back that quarterback Gresch Jensen, who finished third in the voting for FCS freshman of the year while displaying passing and running talent galore, is transferring to a different school.

Double ouch.

It wasn’t long ago that Big Sky preseason polls were reason to rejoice around here, for the Grizzlies and Bobcats were often among the league favorites. So Monday’s news had to be a downer for hard-core fans of the programs.

Right?

“No, I would not say that I’m disappointed,” said Bob Bronson, an avid Griz fan who lived in Great Falls for four decades before recently moving to Missoula. “It’s the preseason. And we don’t know what will happen.”

Chad Getten, a Bobcat fan if there ever was one who has spent his entire life in Great Falls, admitted the low ranking is a bit unsettling.

Montana State head coach Jeff Choate and the Bobcats own back-to-back victories over the Montana Grizzlies.(Photo: AP File Photo)

“I guess I was a little shocked to come in so low,” Getten said. “But the polls are what they are. It doesn’t matter until everybody steps up and plays.”

Getten wondered if the Cats were picked so low because voters knew about Murray's situation. But the polls were due in the league office on July 10, the same day as the difficult news broke in Bozeman. Doubtless, most coaches and scribes had voted by then.

There are some unique problems in handicapping this conference, for the unwieldly Big Sky makes for difficult scheduling. That's because teams don’t all play each other.

“There’s a chance the top team might not even play the other three top teams,” Bronson said. “I do know this: both the Griz and the Cats have very tough schedules.”

Said Getten: “I guess I can understand (the low rankings). There’s been such change with our two universities, unlike the stability that both knew for so long. But for better or worse, the league is not what it used to be.”

Buy Photo

Bobby Hauck led the Montana Grizzlies to a record of 80-17 from 2003-09.(Photo: Tribune File Photo)

OK, so that’s a given. We’ve been following Big Sky football in this space for more than 35 years – heck, we’ve seen the prodigal Vandals from Idaho leave and return – and realize nothing ever stays the same.

But for years and years and years at this time of the summer Grizzly fans had realistic championship hopes. And often Bobcat fans had the same.

Last year's forecasts weren't so rosy, either: the Griz were sixth and the Cats were eighth. But still, staring up from seventh and eighth place seems a little strange. Even if it is just a preseason poll.

It’s not every day both the Cats and Griz are looking at potential quarterback quandaries, either.

But you know what? It says here optimism is still the watchword for football fans on both sides of the Continental Divide.

“We’ve got a new coach and everybody is excited – I’m excited,” Bronson said. “But it’s going to take time. I have all the confidence in the world in coach Hauck. His way has worked before and I think we’re going to get back there to the top with him. But it doesn’t happen overnight.”

Getten is also realistic. And that doesn’t mean he’s bummed out now that the polls are out.

“Last year I think of the final eight teams (in the FCS playoffs), we played four of them,” he said. “And we lost them by just a few points each. There’s a lot of enthusiasm in Bozeman. I know that.”

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Bobcats finish a lot better than eighth in the Big Sky. Choate’s typically fine defense and running game might also be bolstered by a new secret weapon at quarterback.

Remember a dynamo from Dillon named Troy Andersen?

It wouldn’t stun me, either, if the Grizzlies finish a lot better than seventh in the league. Hauck is a winner and his defense, led by preseason defensive player of the year Josh Buss, is certain to be improved.

So don’t turn in your season tickets yet, Cat and Griz fans.

“It’s preseason,” said Bronson. “It doesn’t mean a thing. Let’s see how it all plays out. I’m as excited now as I’ve ever been for the start of the season.”

That goes for Cat fans, too.

“I’m incredibly excited,” Getten said. “This is a great time of year. Everybody in Montana cares about the Cats, Griz, Carroll, (Montana) Tech or the rest of the Frontier. There’s an awful lot of interest.”

Scott Mansch can be reached at 791-1481 or smansch@greatfallstribune.com